*ARCHIVED* Truth Or Dare (Sciles | Dark Descent, Book 1)

Chapter 3

    FEBRUARY 10, 2016
WEDNESDAY
4:14 P.M.

    Over the next few days, Stiles did everything he could to avoid his friends, especially Scott. He would answer texts hours late, when invitations to hang out had long since expired. He didn't respond to Scott at all, even when he sent four or five messages in a row, asking if he had done something to make Stiles angry. Stiles's fingers would always dance over the keyboard, itching to say that no, he wasn't angry with him, he was the exact opposite. But he would always erase the messages without responding. He wouldn't answer the door if they knocked and lie to them later, saying that he had just been asleep. Now, he wanted to be asleep, but he'd slept too much already and just couldn't do it. Instead he stared down at his phone, guiltily re-reading the last text message Allison had sent him, a day ago. 

    She'd said, Stiles, we know something is wrong. But we aren't going to push you. We'll wait until you're ready but we love you..We want you to be okay.

    Stiles hadn't replied. There'd been nothing for him to say anyway. Something clinked against his window, stirring him out of his misery. He crossed over to the window, punched in the code to disarm the security system, and shoved it up and open. He pushed the metal bars covering the window out and peered down into his front yard just as a pebble flew right by his face. It hit the wall a few inches away and bounced back, rolling off the roof and to the ground. 

    Lydia stood down below, in the middle of the front yard, arm already raised and drawn back, ready to launch another pebble. She dropped it now, wiped her fingers off on her pants.

   "Sorry! Open the door!" she called. "We need to talk."

    "I'm sleeping!" Stiles lied.

    "I don't care."

    "You're not going to leave me alone, are you?"

    "No."

    Having learned long ago to accept Lydia's stubborness, Stiles pulled the bars back into place, shut the window, entered the code again to lock it, and ran downstairs to let Lydia in. As soon as he opened the door she pushed herself past him and took a seat on the couch, crossing her legs and staring at him with wide, determined eyes.

    "Why have you been avoiding us?" she asked.

    "I haven't."

    Lydia sighed and rolled her eyes.

    "Stiles, cut the crap. We're your friends. If you want to avoid us, that's fine but we want to help you. We don't want you to feel like you have to avoid us. You can talk to us and you know that. So why are you avoiding us? Is it about what happened...that night?"

    "The vampire isn't-"

    "Not the vampire," Lydia interrupted, her voice softening. "I'm talking about Scott."

    Stiles's stomach dropped. His face burned. "What do you...Scott? What are you talking about?"

    Lydia looked down, as if she were trying to gather her words. After a second she looked up. "I don't want to be blunt but I don't think there's a way to be gentle with this. Stiles, I didn't know you had feelings for Scott when I said that dare."

    "I don't-" Stiles spluttered, unable to form a coherent thought, much less express it. "Lydia, what the hell are you talking about? It was just a game, I don't have feelings for Scott."

    "I can see it now. The way you look at him. If I'd had any idea I wouldn't have dared you to kiss him." 

    Lydia spoke slowly and gently, her eyes locked on Stiles with sympathy in them.